What Fate Awaits?
by Ziggurat Rolsovitch
Summary: <html><head></head>AU: The Guan family is struck by tragedy when their father is forced into the imperial draft. He forbids his sons to join, but soon after the war starts, Guan Yu goes missing in action. Now his sons are ready to go through hell to try and save their father while Yinping against her brother's orders to remain home, disguises herself as a man and follows suit. What fate awaits?</html>


Title: What Fate Awaits?  
>Category: Games » Dynasty Warriors<br>Author: Ziggurat Rolsovitch  
>Language: English<br>Rating: M  
>AN: I got the idea, what if Yinping pulled a Mulan? And then this happened. The more mature version! X'D

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><p>The small bustling Chinese town was full of sights, sounds, shouts and animals with crowds of people that made it almost impossible to get around without bumping into another person. A group of small footsteps however navigated the dangerous path and jumped about back and forth here and there to avoid any mishaps. Today the army was in town recruiting soldiers and many were attracted to the area, either to join or to see their impressive imperial soldiers in full armor atop their steeds.<p>

"Heavens!" A woman shouted when a young girl accidentally bumped into her. "Like a pack of wild dogs!"

"Sorry!" A boy stated, grabbing the girl and pulled her along with him quickly while the woman scoffed, before another two boys bumped her from other side and tripped her screaming into a puddle of mud, right in the footsteps trail after the other two.

The small group of young children proceeded onto the nearby roof to look up and over to see the imperial soldiers, looking on with awe and amazement at their stunning uniforms and shining weapons in the sun.

"Wooow… Ping look at the horses." The small girl said while sitting beside the eldest boy and being more interested in that than anything else.

"One day I'm going to become a famous General." Ping said surely while leaning over the roof further in interest at the soldiers.

"Me too. Me too!" One of the other boys stated.

"Ha! A famous General?" A voice scoffed and all the children looked down over the edge to see a soldier, one of the men that their father didn't get along with. Dong Zhou.

"I'm the son of the god of war Guan Yu!" Guan Ping defended himself, looking particularly frustrated at such a comment from that man.

"Son of Guan Yu? You're the son of a farmer hobo." Dong Zhou stated and Guan Ping suddenly frowned deeply at the words. "What is that face? Are you going to cry from hearing the truth? Come down here boy and I'll give you something to really cry about." In order to get him down Dong Zhou bent over to pick up a rock and Guan Ping quickly grabbed his siblings and forced them down the opposite side of the roof.

"Run!" He was smart enough to know that man was dangerous and was more than likely to cause them harm due to the fact that they were the adopted children of Guan Yu, his rival. So the children ran and didn't stop until they were safely behind the tall and strong walls of their home.

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><p>Eight years later…<p>

Time, days, seasons had passed and those that were once young children had grown to be tall and strong under the gentle guidance of their adoptive father. In the back yard of their peaceful home Yinping watched Guan Xing and Guan Suo practicing their sword play, going back and forth quite skillfully, though, neither could prove he was a more skilled fighter. It was a close tie.

However if she had to choose from the three of them, then she would have to always believe that Ping was the strongest out of them. If either of them ever went against him in a spar, surely he would best them with ease. She really couldn't understand why everyone said that he was the son of a farmer and not a warrior. Why would being the son of a farmer make him any less of a warrior? He worked so hard… and he was strong too.

She mused upon these things as she watched him carrying a heavy bag of feed to the horses in the stables. It was no secret that he greatly admired their father's horse Red Hare and often spent time with him, taking special care of all of his needs. He often snuck them snacks as well.

"Hey! That hurt!" Suo complained, rubbing his head and suddenly it seemed the two had gotten themselves into a real full blow fist fight. Ping sighed and dropped the feed bag, quickly running over and grabbing the both of them by their shirts and holding them back from one another.

"Alright you two that's enough already!" Ping scolded the two of them and both looked down shamefully at their older brother's scolding.

"Ping, it looks like all that training really paid off. Just look at your muscles!" Yinping complimented at his ability to stop the two of them so easily and Ping suddenly dropped the both of them and nervously rubbed the back of his neck.

"Ah, you really think so?"

Xing and Suo stared at one another, then looked up at Ping and then glanced over to their sister, but they were at least thankful for the distraction she caused which freed them from Ping's wrath at their little battle. Finally Xing laid back on the ground and stared at the sky, drifting off into his own thoughts while those two went back and forth about muscles.

"What's on your mind?" Suo questioned, dropping down beside him with a sigh.

"I was just wondering... Will I be able to grow beard like Father's?" Xing pondered in deep, very serious thought over the matter.

"Hmm... Yeah, I think it'll happen eventually."

"I thought so. I wonder if long beards like that will suit us though..."

Suddenly Ping cut in on their conversation. ""Grow a beard like Father? Do you truly think that would help?"

"Of course! We'll train together, and someday reach the same heights as our father." Xing exclaimed, sitting up suddenly while saying this. Yinping smiled upon hearing their strange conversations, trying as hard as she might to invasion the three of them with beards as long as their father's, except she didn't think anyone could grow a beard as magnificent as their father could.

In the midst of the conversation the gong sounded and all of them glanced up at the sound of war drums beating and the sound of horses in the distance. The Imperial army was coming…

"Go inside, Yinping." Ping ordered her suddenly as he headed over to the gate of their enclosed yard to open the door halfway and look out.

A formation of mounted soldiers rode up and abruptly stopped in the middle of town, where those that had previously been busy with various things stopped and gathered in a wide circle around the imperial soldiers as one stepped out in front and unrolled a scroll.

"As of today we are at war with a group of rising rebellion! Tomorrow morning the names of the men whom are to be recruited will be posted in the town square! One man from each family! You will fight or you will be executed for disobeying and deserting!"

Xing and Suo approached behind Ping, looking out at the recruiters that were here in their village before looking at one another. Ping finally closed the door and glanced at the two.

"Alright, that's enough. Let's get back to work." He shooed the two of them, he didn't want those two to get any crazy ideas like enlisting.

"What if father has to go to war!" Suo protested, wanting to find out what was happening now and if that were going to be the case. Ping sighed and glanced up at the sky while rubbing the back of his neck, because in all likely hood he would be required to fight once again. "After he was shot in the arm with that poison arrow… he doesn't have full strength. How can he wield a blade anymore?"

"It will be fine, Suo. Get back to work already or father will have our heads. He can certainly still do that." Ping stated and both his younger brothers sighed and did as they were told, despite not like taking orders from their older sibling.

He returned to his duties as well, it was a worrisome thought, but he had to put it out of his mind until that time did indeed come. Once he stepped into the stabled and went about feeding the horses and checking their water he was able to temporarily distract his mind, however the door suddenly opened, almost quietly, but the old creak in the hinges gave it away.

"Yinping… I asked you to go inside."

"I didn't want to. Ping, what if it's true about father?" She questioned him and he sighed quietly. It seemed he had to think about it now.

"Then I will go in his place." Ping stated while picking up a brush and tending to his horse's tangled white mane. There was a long moment of silence and if he didn't know that leaving would make a louder sound, he might have thought she left.

"But… General Dong Zhou…"

"I'm not afraid of him…" He replied then and when he glanced over at her knowing look sighed and looked back to his horse. "Not anymore. Maybe he could pick on us when we were kids because he was bigger, but it's not like that anymore."

"Ping…"

"If you won't go inside… at least help me finish taking care of the horses." Ping requested. For a moment he believed she would quickly return inside to escape the work, but instead she happily bound next to him with a brush and managed the other side of the horse. "Everything will work out just fine, Yinping."

"I believe you."

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><p>That night at dinner the family ate in relative silence, except for the occasional banter between siblings and finally Ping set his drink down and looked at his father. It had been bothering him all night, so he had been left with no other choice, but to give in and ask.<p>

"Father, you know about the recruitment?"

"I am aware, my son." Guan Yu replied, stroking his beard with one hand while taking a sip of tea with the other.

"From the previous war, you were injured. I think that you should allow me to take your place." Ping stated and everyone quickly looked at him, except Guan Yu who seemed to still be stroking his beard in thought.

"No, way! One of us should do it!" Xing stated and Suo nodded his agreement.

"When I faced a thousand spear points, ten thousand blades and arrows, I charged forward still. Do you think I fear a pack of rats?"

"But father!"

"If I don't go, they'll call me a coward. Tomorrow I shall ride down there with Red Hare and my own trusty blade. Let the enemy try and touch me." Guan Yu finally stated in a loud, commanding voice which left no room for argument. "Need I, master of 'one against-many' battle tactics, feel fear? My mind is made up. The matter is closed."

Ping clenched his fists over his knees, but he said nothing more and looked straight down, the rest of his siblings looked from their father to him, it was clear the other three wanted to say things as well, but the tension was so thick one couldn't even get through it with a knife. That night Ping didn't finish dinner and instead left the table with a full plate.

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><p>~TBC~<p> 


End file.
